Opportunity Taken...

 How quickly things can change in life... what is an instant anyhow? A heartbeat, a frozen breath, a gripping thought, missed opportunity...or an opportunity taken...

After a late evening visit to my parents’ place, our seven year old daughter Clara opted, as she oft does, to walk alone the short distance home to our place. And desperate as she had earlier been to wear her new spring jacket there, I let her go only half dressed for the cold.

I drove the car home with Maria who was under the weather...and Clara made her own way. When she came in the side door to our house she stood rather breathless in our entry,  looking totally awestruck. Sensing her quiet wonder I asked her what had happened.

”Sparkling” was all she could first say. “The snow, it all is sparkling mommy....please come for a walk.”

I'm glad I hadn't over- parented her when we left my mom and dad’s- told her it was getting too dark to walk, the roads too slippery and her not properly dressed for the cold- as I am too oft inclined to do.  Had I, she wouldn't have experienced the late winter wonder of a fresh blanket of crystalline snowflakes over the brown and thatchy grass and mud of March. Nor would she have shivered excitedly in our entry at the prospect of having me join her for a little walk, late eve around the neighborhood.

“It makes me feel like I just want to twirl around with my arms out like this mom- then go back out into it with you!”

And despite my tiredness, it was a great idea; always is at times like that. She decided of her own accord that she'd best put on an extra sweater and some gloves, grabbed a flourless oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and my hand and out we went. She showed me how the streetlight cast a shimmer on the soft blanket of snow all over the yard and lane, and indeed it sparkled...not unlike her big blue eyes just then.

We set out down our little street to the main road and hand in hand walked down the Kinlock hill. She nibbling at her cookie dipped in snow, me pulling her hood up over her hat to guard against the icy snow and wind that caught us on the more open main road. It was hard to see ahead so we looked down. Clara quickly noticed that our footsteps were the only ones to break the smoothness of the evening’s snowfall- that despite the multitudes who live around us we were the only walkers out.  We walked and talked downhill and at the bottom turned towards my parent’s house. Clara was on the outside of the sidewalk and instinctively I pulled her in, trading places with me. She noticed the silent move and commented that she knew why I did it.

“Because grownups know more safety things and if a car was to come and squoosh the grown up, well they've already lived so much longer than the kid. It's just makes sense.”

She said it all quite unaffectedly- strange for emotive Clara. Perhaps the cold had settled in deeper than I'd guessed. No sooner had I thought this than she qualified her sentiment:

”…not that I'd ever want that to happen to you mommy- I’d be so sad!”

“Well Clara, obviously we wouldn’t want anything like that to happen, but if something ever were to happen to me you know you would be sad, but you would still have a good life.” I faintly replied.

“A hard life mommy is what I'd have. It would be so hard without you!” Clara exuded.

Before we could continue in this morbid, thoughtful vein, a car approached us from behind, as the corner neared.  We paused let them go ahead of us, crossed over by my parents house and headed up the hill towards home. Back in our little yard, my heart fairly bursting with an awareness of the weight of the unknown and the wonder of the quiet beauty we were a party to, we foot-stomped a great big heart, adjoining in the middle. A little crooked and sure to be covered by morning, but altogether perfect.

Ps...I included the link for the cookie recipe because they are amazingly delicious...we all love them and you can so easily change it up...make them nut free...reduce the sugar...and they bake up very reliably!! Thanks Jan for the gluten free oats from Trader Joe's...